16/10/05 - City 2 West Ham 1Updated: October 3rd, 2007
Videos of post-match interviews can be found at BBC Sport
match reports
City 2 West Ham 1 (MEN)
Cole, who marked his 34th birthday on Saturday, celebrated in the best possible manner after curling home a brilliant first, then ramming home a typical poacher’s effort to seal a richly-deserved Blues win 11 minutes after the restart. Player ratings here.
Cole’s double downs hammers (Sky Sports)
With match stats and player ratings.
Cole sinks Hammers with goals new and old (Guardian)
If Andy Cole had even the faintest knowledge of Manchester City’s history he would know there was a time when this was the type of one-sided contest they would somehow contrive not to win. Joe Royle used to call it Cityitis: dominating matches only to draw or lose. Kevin Keegan failed to find an antidote but, with Stuart Pearce at the helm and Cole turning back the years, the new-look City appear immune from the old symptoms.
Cole double brings level pegging to Manchester (Independent)
No contract talks (with Cole) are planned before Christmas, but an offer should be a formality. Pearce added: “He is a great influence in the dressing-room, a real leader. That has surprised me. Before he arrived I only knew him close enough to kick him and he did have a reputation, but he has a great attitude.”
Cole double helping to win over City faithful (Telegraph)
A Bobby Zamora goal deep into injury time flattered Alan Pardew’s newly promoted side, who in 90 minutes had forced David James into only one serious save.
Shaken & Stirred (Daily Mirror)
Andy Cole won the battle of the feuding former Manchester United team-mates and proved his enduring class at the age of 34 with a match-winning display.
The backdrop to this encounter was the bitter rift between Cole and Teddy Sheringham, who did not speak to each other for three years as team-mates at Old Trafford.
They observed the pre-match ritual of shaking hands, yet it proved little more than a token gesture, for the pair are still refusing to speak.
Europe not far away for Pearce (Times)
Two goals from the rejuvenated Andrew Cole were scant reward for a wonderfully vibrant display, but the sight of his team in fourth place in the Premiership, behind Manchester United on goal difference, offered the remarkable prospect of City competing for a place in next season’s Champions League.
Two-goal Cole fires Man City to fourth (reuters)
Promoted West Ham arrived in Manchester having lost only once this season but were second-best against a home side who created a host of chances.